Question about bull and cows

Help Support CattleToday:

cedarview farms

Active member
Joined
Jun 1, 2009
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
Do i need two pastures, one for my bulls and one for the heifers and cows or can i put them all together without having to worry about the bulls breeding them out of season? or whats the best way to do this?
 
Cedarview, unless you want calves born throughout the year, yeah you need to keep the bull(s) separate from your cows. No offense intended here, but have you gone out and bought cows without knowing all this stuff or are you just kicking tires?
 
Thanks farmwriter. and no, i havent yet bought my cattle. right now we do just row crops, but im wanting to get into cattle and im just wanting to buy a few to start with. maybe like a couple heifers and and a bull and then grow from their. but, right now im just trying to get familiar with everything that is needed for starting cattle.
 
cedarview farms":neneyhsb said:
Thanks farmwriter. and no, i havent yet bought my cattle. right now we do just row crops, but im wanting to get into cattle and im just wanting to buy a few to start with. maybe like a couple heifers and and a bull and then grow from their. but, right now im just trying to get familiar with everything that is needed for starting cattle.

Do NOT - I say again - DO NOT buy heifers!

You are not ready for them.

I am out of this one

Bez+
 
I love a person who does his/her homework. Left you a message at your 'new to the business' post, too.

Bez might be right about the heifers - that calving trouble is no fun even if you've been through it a time or two.

If you don't have experience with them, it might be worth it to find someone you trust to sell you some mild mannered cattle as well. And you might also think about leasing a bull so you have one less headache after your breeding season is complete.
 
you can keep a bull with the cows but you will have calves year round. not necessarily a problem, lots of people do that.

if you want calves at a specific time of the year, you need to be able to separate the bull from the cows until 9 mths before you want the calves born.

if you do decide to leave the bull with the cows and have calves all year round, you might still want to have an extra pasture to put the young heifers in, so the bull doesnt breed them when they are too young

also, best to buy some older cows - tougher than heifers - you can buy what is called a 3 in 1 cow, that means she has a calf at foot and in the belly also, so you are getting 3 animals for the price of 1. Buy them, forget about the bull for a while, wean the calves off at the appropriate time, wait till the cows calve again, by this time you can load the weaners and take them to market, use the money to buy or lease a bull, turn him in with the cows at the appropriate time for when you want your calves born.

Good luck with it all! :mrgreen:
 
Good advice Keren.

However I am a bit perplexed. In the "Hi I'm New Here" forum, you said :

cedarview farms":1irbcgcg said:
ok thanks, and yea i do some work for a business called B&G Cattle, where we work with cattle and stuff, so i do know what i am getting into lol and i have alot of good friends that have cattle that will be more than happy to sell some to me and help me out a bit

Your experience working cattle and your friends should give you the answers to your questions. They will know your set up and what needs to be done.
 
There was no malice intended. I am sorry if my post came off that way. \

However sometimes the best advice comes from someone who is experienced and knows you first hand. If he or she has friends in the business, they should be able to give advice that would be suitable to the original poster's situation.
We do not know where original poster lives nor seen where he/she wants to keep the cattle.
 
Cedarviewfarms,

Keren has given you great advise. I have only had my herd for two years and I did just as Keren has suggested to you. I bought three way cattle and didn't worry with a bull for awhile. Have a friend help you with picking your three ways and ask questions. You need to know what to look for in cows...such as a good udder or if a cow has prolapsed before. Bettering your herd will come later. If I could stress to you anything it would be.....if you can only afford four cows .....get two and a squeeze shoot or head gate. It is very important to have a way to vacs, deworm, dehorn, band, preg. check, doctor, etc. your cattle. It can't be done on good intentions.

Continue to ask good questions on this forum. There is a world of knowledge that doesn't cost a dime to tap into with people such as Keren, Doc Harris, Bez, Kernsie and Dun ......just to mention a few good posters.
Welcome to the cattle world.

***Chippie got me with that little nat crawling around the name!! Darn-it!****
 
Barnscoop, thank you, that means a lot ... but I'm not anywhere near Dun, Knersie, Bez and Doc :shock: I learn so much from them every day

Very very good advice about how many you can afford and how many to buy. Also if your land can stock 4 cows, buy 2 - cos it wont be long before they calve and you have 4

btw that bug always gets me no matter how many times I see it :lol2:
 
3 in 1.....I will have to use that!!

Buy the cow/calf pairs!!! You won't regret it. Bulls can be such a pain, wait until you really need one and have the facilities to house one. They can eat alot!!

Good luck.
 

Latest posts

Top